If you’ve always wanted to read classic horror novels but have always been too intimidated by the language to try, the BBC has a special treat for you. They’ve just announced a new podcast series, The Haunted Library, in which two icons of British genre TV will narrate some of the most memorable scary stories of all time.
The Haunted Library is narrated by Merlin alum Colin Morgan, with guest appearances from Bridgerton star Katie Leung. The two will perform horror classics like Frankenstein, The Turn of the Screw, Carmilla, and The Invisible Man, alongside short stories from Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, Arthur Conan Doyle, and more. The series’ logline is as follows:
The Haunted Library is no ordinary reading room. Hidden among its shelves are infamous books, forgotten mysteries and spine-chilling stories that refuse to stay buried. From haunted houses and ghostly apparitions to dangerous scientific ambition and impossible transformations, listeners will be immersed in tales that defined and continue to shape the horror genre.
“I’ve always been drawn to stories that explore the darker corners of the imagination, and it’s been a real pleasure to spend time with so many of the great works of Gothic literature,” said Morgan. “These are stories that have endured for generations, but there’s something particularly powerful about hearing them told aloud. I hope The Haunted Library gives listeners the chance to lose themselves in these extraordinary worlds and perhaps discover a few stories they haven’t encountered before.”
The series will begin with The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, written by Robert Louis Stevenson, and continues on with two episodes a week, available on all major podcast platforms and on BBC Sounds.
“Colin Morgan and Katie Leung’s exquisite narration perfectly captures the atmosphere of these classic tales which have remained so vivid in our collective imagination,” said the BBC’s Lydia Shamah. “These stories are the foundations on which all subsequent horror – in literature and on film – has been built. And we can't wait for listeners to discover how Colin and Katie have brought them to life in such a fresh and immersive way.”
The Haunted Library hits streaming platforms on September 21.
